# Carol Mitchell

Carol Mitchell (born c. 1957) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She was a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 2003 to 2011 representing the riding of Huron—Bruce. She was a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty.

## Background

Mitchell was born in Clinton, Ontario in Huron County and was educated at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. She is a past member of Girl Guides of Canada. She worked in retailing after her graduation, and ran stores selling children's clothes in Clinton and Bayfield.

## Politics

She was elected to Clinton's town council in 1993, and became its reeve later in the decade. She also served on the Huron County council, and was elected as the first reeve of the amalgamated municipality of Central Huron. She was elected as warden of Huron County in 1999 and 2000.
In the 2003 provincial election she ran as the Liberal candidate in the riding of Huron—Bruce and defeated Progressive Conservative incumbent Helen Johns, a cabinet minister, by about 3,000 votes. On October 23, 2003, she was named parliamentary assistant to Steve Peters, the Ontario Minister of Agriculture and Food. In March 2006, Mitchell was named parliamentary assistant to David Caplan, the Minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal. Upon re-election in the fall of 2007, Mitchell was named Government Caucus Chair and parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, with a concentration on Municipal Affairs.
On January 18, 2010, Mitchell was named Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as part of a cabinet shuffle by Premier Dalton McGuinty.
She was defeated by Progressive Conservative candidate Lisa Thompson in the 2011 election.

### Cabinet positions

Ontario provincial government of Dalton McGuinty :
| Cabinet post (1) |||
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| Helen Johns | Minister of Agriculture and Food 2010–2011 | Ted McMeekin |

## Electoral record

vte2011 Ontario general election: Huron—Bruce :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Progressive Conservative | Lisa Thompson | 19,138 | 42.76 | +12.22 | $ 81,890.60 |
| | Liberal | Carol Mitchell | 14,659 | 32.75 | −13.20 | 79,935.51 |
| | New Democratic | Grant Robertson | 9,329 | 20.85 | +7.53 | 32,102.53 |
| | Green | Patrick Main | 772 | 1.72 | −4.81 | 881.40 |
| | Family Coalition | Christine Schnurr | 656 | 1.47 | −0.85 | 14,592.60 |
| | Independent | Dennis Valenta | 200 | 0.45 | −0.44 | 0.00 |
| Total valid votes / expense limit | Total valid votes / expense limit | Total valid votes / expense limit | 44,754 | 100.0 | +0.46 | $ 90,268.64 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 172 | 0.38 | −0.09 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,926 | 59.23 | −0.57 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 75,853 | | +1.35 |
| | Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | Swing | +12.71 |
| Source(s) "Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels - Huron—Bruce – October 6, 2011 General Election" (PDF)."2011 Candidate Campaign Returns (CR-1)". Elections Ontario. Retrieved June 13, 2014. |||||||
vte2007 Ontario general election: Huron—Bruce :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Carol Mitchell | 20,469 | 45.95 | +0.16 | $ 49,205.00 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Rob Morley | 13,606 | 30.54 | −7.69 | 72,311.76 |
| | New Democratic | Paul Klopp | 5,932 | 13.32 | +1.86 | 20,183.39 |
| | Green | Victoria Serda | 2,911 | 6.53 | +4.38 | 7,787.36 |
| | Family Coalition | Dave Joslin | 1,035 | 2.32 | +0.24 | 8,064.77 |
| | Independent | Dennis Valenta | 393 | 0.88 | | 9,887.73 |
| | Independent | Ronald John Stephens | 202 | 0.45 | | 0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 44,548 | 100.0 | +2.62 | $ 80,832.60 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 209 | 0.47 | −0.02 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,757 | 59.80 | −6.66 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 74,845 | | +14.03 |
| Source(s) "Summary of Valid Votes Cast for Each Candidate – October 10, 2007 General Election" (PDF)."Statistical Summary – General Elections 2007" (PDF). Elections Ontario."2007 Candidate Campaign Returns (CR-1)". Retrieved June 13, 2014. |||||||
vte2003 Ontario general election: Huron—Bruce :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Carol Mitchell | 19,879 | 45.79 | +3.96 | $ 43,587.07 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Helen Johns | 16,594 | 38.23 | −7.53 | 68,667.03 |
| | New Democratic | Grant I. Robertson | 4,973 | 11.46 | +2.33 | 18,246.88 |
| | Green | Shelley Hannah | 934 | 2.15 | | 3,146.98 |
| | Family Coalition | Dave Joslin | 902 | 2.08 | −1.21 | 7,273.45 |
| | Freedom | Robert Sabharwal | 127 | 0.29 | | 0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 43,409 | 100.0 | −4.39 | $ 63,013.44 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 212 | 0.49 | −0.80 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 43,621 | 66.46 | −0.32 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 65,639 | | −4.70 |
| Source(s) "General Election of October 2, 2003 — Summary of Valid Ballots by Candidate". Elections Ontario."General Election of October 2, 2003 — Statistical Summary". Retrieved June 13, 2014."2003 Election and Annual Returns - Candidate and Constituency Association Returns". |||||||